US Democrats paying for ads promoting far-right candidates in deceptive strategy that could backfire

Democrats in the United States are reportedly spending millions of dollars on ads that promote far-right candidates in primary midterm elections over their Democratic rivals or otherwise moderate Republican contenders, in a pre-meditated but “dangerous” strategy that they hope will ultimately help them beat the extremist candidates.

The New York Times said in a video report on Friday that it had identified a series of ads about far-right, obscure candidates that had been paid for by their Democratic rivals or a Democratic group or political action committee (PAC).

It said Democrats had until then spent almost $44 million across five states — California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — promoting far-right candidates or ones supportive of former US President Donald Trump. The Democrats believe that the extremist candidates will be easier for them to face off with in the midterm elections in November.

“In some case, the Democrats spent far more money on ads about these candidates than the candidates spent promoting themselves,” the report said.

Some of the ads are carefully worded to look as if they are attacking the far-right candidates while in fact appealing to Republicans, including by excluding information that “might turn off moderate Republican voters.” Others overtly support the far-right candidates over the moderate ones.

One such ad was produced for far-right candidate in primary elections for Pennsylvania Doug Mastriano, paid for by his Democratic rival, Josh Shapiro. Mastiano won the Republican primary race for governor in May and will face Shapiro in the November midterms.

But The New York Times — itself an expressly liberal and Democratic news organization — said the controversial ads risked elevating the far-right candidates in an extraordinary election season.

“[The strategy] has the potential not only to lift up far-right candidates, but also to push out moderates” in an election that is not ordinary, it said. “With inflation at a 40-year high and President [Joe] Biden’s approval ratings stubbornly low, far-right Republicans who might have been expected to lose in previous election years could now stand a chance.”

Mastriano, for instance, is now “polling at just 5.2 percentage points” behind Shapiro.

But there are more than electoral risks involved. By using the deceptive strategy, the Democrats are effectively looking for electoral gains through radicalizing voters and the broader American society.

That fits a pattern of Democratic behavior that may deepen the divide in the United States. In another gamble, Democrats are seeking to ensnarl Trump in a web of legal investigations in an attempt to block his path to a second presidential term and in what experts say is certain to further the divisions in the US.

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